Food for thought...
RESTAURATEURS: CHANCE TO EARN MONEY, BUT WILL PEOPLE PITCH UP?
Concern that not being allowed to sell alcohol will affect business.
South Africa’s restaurants are gearing up to get back to work, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address last Wednesday evening.
However, while most welcome the much-needed relaxing of regulations, there seems to be mixed feeling about how eateries will fare under continued Level 3 regulations and the strict physical distancing guidelines.
The Citizen caught up with a few well-known Johannesburg restaurateurs to get their take on what the new ease of limitations means for their daily operations.
Although hygiene and the safety of customers remains the primary concern, owners are still convinced the new regulations of dining will limit their customer capacity.
Larry Hodes, the owner of Arbour Cafe, The Gourmet Grocer at Voodoo Lily and The Dark Kitchen, is cautiously optimistic about the announcement of the changes.
“I have mixed feelings. On the one hand we’re very excited as it means bringing back staff, earning more revenue and getting back to what we know best. “On the other hand, I am not sure how consumers will take to this new system.
“Will they still be as keen to frequent the restaurants?” Hodes said many customers have voiced how excited they are to return to sitting down at restaurants, but so many will not visit a restaurant for fear of the Covid-19 virus. In an interview with IOL, Randolph Jorberg, the founder of the Beerhouse group, expressed concern over the sale of alcohol under these new regulations.
He said that comments of his patrons on social media groups, shows a huge number of customers confirming they will stay away and rather continue to eat at home with a bottle of liquor bought in a bottle store if they are not allowed to consume liquor in restaurants.
I don’t believe that restaurants; especially with large menus will be able to open with the same menu. It will lead to a lot of waste and also place the business under more cashflow issues as they have to lay out more money for more items. We also don’t know how consumers will take to visiting restaurants again. In Arbour Cafe and Voodoo Lily the menus are reduced to about 55/60% of the normal menu ,says Larry Hodes, Owner of The Gourmet Grocer at Voodoo Lilly ,Arbour Café and The Dark Kitchen
So, what can customers expect under the new normal when it comes to eating out?
Rules that the industry is looking at, include:
1.5m between customers. 1m between customers that know each other.
Strict safety guidelines for staff members.
The serving of liquor with meals.
Blocking and removing certain tables and chairs.
Stuff waiters and bartenders might never do again:
Most staff/servers won’t work without wearing masks. Shareable drinks will be a thing of the past.
Disposable paper menus are now a thing, even with fine dining. Servers will never hand you your cutlery and customers may be allowed to bring their own. Cash tips may become less common.
You may have to garnish your own cocktails and drinks.